Handmade Healing Balm for Eczema and Psoriasis

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***Update on 23rd January 2014*** While many of you have made or will choose to make this cream for yourselves, I’ve received a lot of emails from those interested in purchasing it direct. From today I have my Neem Balm available on my shop site at this link.

Skin conditions of any sort can be uncomfortable, but Eczema and Psoriasis are probably two of the most common and irritating. Both are genetic auto-immune skin conditions that result in flaky, inflamed skin that can itch terribly and leave you feeling helpless and even embarrassed. If you or someone close to you suffers from one of them then you’ll know just how much it can affect a person’s life. Outbreaks are often red and swollen and can appear on any part of your body, from your hands to your knees to your face.

While affected skin can often appear unsightly, it’s the pain and tenderness that can affect people’s lives for the worse. There is no cure for Eczema or Psoriasis and treatment is limited to simply controlling the severity of the outbreaks and soothing the symptoms. Keeping the skin clean and moisturised is the usual remedy however some of the prescribed medications and products can be a bit suspect. One of these is the use of mineral oil and petroleum jelly on the skin. Both are by-products of petroleum (gas and petrol) production and while they do help the skin stay moist they clog the pores and prevent air from reaching your skin. The other treatment which is more specifically for Psoriasis involves sitting in a bath with essence of coal tar which is literally the by-product coal being turned into coke. A close family member of mine has Psoriasis and I can still remember the smell of these baths – it’s similar to the smell of tarmac being laid.

Neem oil comes from the Neem tree, which is native to India and Pakistan However there are natural non-petroleum based options for treatment of Eczema and Psoriasis and at least one which can effectively clear up breakouts: Neem oil. Extracted from the fruits and seeds of the Neem tree, Neem oil is a thick red or green oil which is not only highly moisturising but is naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and provides external relief from pain and itchiness.

Though its smell can be quite strong its medicinal qualities are impressive and it’s relatively safe to use as a self-prescribed treatment. In fact the Indian culture has been using Neem oil for thousands of years for anything from skin diseases and inflammation to fevers and insecticide. There are Neem oil skin creams already on the market and if you’re interested in simply buying one then please visit my online shop. I’ve also provided a similar recipe below if you’d like to try your hand at making your own. This version is thicker than my own product but will melt on contact with your skin.

* Some people may show sensitivity to Neem oil so please do a skin patch test to make sure it’s right for your skin.
** For a more liquidy cream add more liquid oil in this recipe
*** 10g of Neem oil will result in quite a strong smelling and acting balm. If you’d prefer, you can reduce the amount by half to 5g to mask the smell and create a gentler product. Please also note Neem can be quite strong and if it’s placed on the skin undiluted it’s possible that it can cause contact dermatitis.

1. Place the Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Castor oil, and Sweet Almond oil into a double-boiler. You can also place them in a metal or glass bowl which can be floated in a pan of hot water. The point of the double boiler (also known as a Bain-marie) is that you want to heat the oils slowly, evenly, and through an indirect heat source.

2. Melt the oils over a medium heat until they are completely liquid. Stir well and place the bowl in the freezer for five minutes or until the oils thicken to the consistency of Castor oil and become slightly opaque.

3. Take the bowl out and beat it with a whisk, adding the essential oil, vitamin E, and Neem oil. The Lavender essential oil will help mask the scent of the Neem and is also useful for encouraging skin cells to regenerate. Lavender essential oil is also soothing and anti-inflammatory so safe for those with dermatitis.

4. Spoon the finished product into a container that is fitted with a lid. You can use the cream immediately after it has set.

Tanya

Passionate about DIY projects, edible gardening and natural beauty products, Tanya makes everything from handmade soap to home and garden projects. She shares about how you can do it too on her blog, Lovely Greens.

I've done some research and there are many types of good oils for Eczema. Two of them that are: Aloe Vera oil and Argan Oil. Aloe Vera oil has the ability to soften and sooth inflamed skin. Aloe Vera needs to be refrigerated because it only has a shelf life of 6 months-1 year.Argan Oil is considered a very rich and nutritious oil high in Vitamin E and antioxidants contains Sterols with anti-inflammatory properties. Argan oil has a shelf life of 2 years. To reduce the itching you could use Passion Fruit Oil because it is anti-bacterial,anti-itching anti-inflammatory and it has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

No worries Tori and I hope your loved ones will like your handmade cream If you're looking for Neem oil you can probably find it in South-Asian markets in London or buy it direct from Pukka. Alternatively, follow the link I've left in one of the below comments.

Hi Tanya…I have a few questions…Could the Neem oil be added as an essential oil to the almond oil for a massage oil?Could some Neem oil be dropped directly into a bath like an essential oil? Where could I buy Neem oil??

I suffer with eczema and have a friend with quite bad psoriasis so I would love to give some of this a try.

Absolutely Tanya, you can add it to creams, massage oils, and the bath but don't bother with any Neem soaps you come across since cleansers in general simply dry out your skin. A good source for purchasing Neem oil is at this link. And as stated on that page, make sure to dilute it in a carrier oil to about 5%. The cream recipe above is stronger but the footnote lets you know to reduce the amount to 5g (just under 5%) to make a gentler version.

I knew there had to be a better remedy than topical steroids! thank you for this…i am going to try it for my skin. there is a health food store very close..I will check for these ingredients..I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.

My uncle suffers from psoriasis for quite a long time. He has consumed probably tons of cream that are non-organic. I'll save your recipe and will source out for the ingredients, i'll give you an update and probably ask some questions soon. Thank you very much!

Interesting stuff! I came across Neem in a different format. The bark is sold as a treatment for gum disease, and you can get Neem toothpaste. I have a note to look up more about Neem and here you are using it!

My daughter had bad eczema from the time she was just a few months old until almost 4 (then it sort of just faded away – don't know why).We didn't know about neem oil, but I didn't want to use all the over the counter medicines with possible side effects. So we used pure jojoba oil. No soaps or anything when she bathed and after she got out we would rub it all over her body.It really seemed to help.

Just order a bottle of Neem oil. I got mine from Swanson's online but you can get it anywhere now, it's readily available. I had a brown spot on my hand that started to raise. I put Neem oil on it and it crusted over and fell off. So I would def recommend it for little skin cancer spots

Of course you could but it will likely make your hair very oily. If I were you I'd make the cream without essential oils and then leave it in overnight to rinse out the next morning. Try first with only a small amount on your scalp though since the skin on your head will be more sensitive than on other parts of your body.

It's all dependent on your location – if you're in the US I can't really help you other to say that some people have been purchasing it off Amazon.com. In the UK, Ebay is a good option for small quantities of inexpensive butters and oils but do research the seller. Otherwise there are a wide variety of independent retailers to be found online.

One of the best places I've found in the USA is mountainroseherbs.com to get just about all of your diy ingredients. I've done a fair amount of price checking and they usually have the best prices too. They also have a lot of educational info about the various ingredients.

Just reaffirming Katherine's source, http://www.mountainroseherbs.com. I am a trained aromatherapist and have many options for sourcing DIY materials and essential oils, and Mountain Rose Herbs stand heads above most other vendors.

I also recommend www. wildmountainherbs.com I have been very pleased with their selection, price and fast delivery. If you have questions you can call them and they will walk you through anything you may be new to. I want to mention dried herbs can be very light weight…think this bit through before ordering 10 lbs of dry goods. LOL!

Another lady asked that today and my response is yes, it can be used but it will be very oily. A thought has just occurred to me that Neem could probably be used to make a conditioner though. I'll look into it!

I have been dealing with psoriasis on my scalp and my ears, even down to my neck. I have used zinc, salicyclate, lavender, Nizoral, Dermarest, Scalpicin, Benydryl, fluocinonide (a steroid solution), high priced "pure" shampoos and conditioners. The only solution that truly worked was a deep conditioner from Ecco Bella that had Neem. It was messy, oily, and you had to wash it out daily. But it worked. Sadly, it was discontinued. The other thing that worked for a period of time was a sliding scale of prednisone for an asthma attack. By the end of the 10 days, the problem was back. All the others worked for a time, but nothing has relieved the itch. The flaking is sometimes abated, but usually pretty bad. Thanks for the recipe.

I have psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis both on my scalp and body. I've used everything from steroids to OTC shampoos and ointments with very little success. Last month I try a mixture of tea tree oil, neem oil and virgin coconut oil for my scalp and skin and within 24 hours I had an extremely satisfying result. My inflammation was lessened and wasn't "burning." I had less scaling, pain and tightness. My hair was greasy, but it was worth it. Two weeks later I'm in almost a complete remission on my scalp, back of my neck and around my ears (were it hurt the most). Thank you so much for posting this recipe and opening me up to neem oil.(I also use it on my face if I get a spot or two)

This is a base recipe that can be expanded on with your own preference of healing oils and ingredients if you find them to also be beneficial to your skin. Both Aloe and coconut oil are brilliant for all types of skin conditions so yes you could use them in a cream. If you replace the Cocoa butter in this recipe with Coconut oil then you'll get a much more creamy/lotion type texture.

Aloe juice contains water though so you'd have to make an emulsion which is a more complicated process than this recipe. You'd also have to use the cream much quicker since it would require a preservative to last longer than a week.

Please take care when heating anything in plastic. This recipe can easily be made by heating the ingredients in a metal or glass bowl.

Flip over your food storage containers and take a look at the small number printed on the bottom. If the recycling number is #3 or #7, it likely contains either BPA (bisphenol A) or phthalates (used to make PVC plastics) which mimic estrogen and can interfere with hormone levels.

All plastics contain possible harmful chemicals, and when heated, those chemicals can leech onto the food that is next to them. This lotion is food for your body. Take care!

Hmm looks interesting. I will definitely look into making this for when my eczema flares up again. One possibility for using this on the scalp is to apply, let it work, then wash it out after like 15 min. (I have it on my scalp too) I also have a friend who has bad eczema, so I could make this stuff up and share with them.

Others have asked that question too. You could try applying this as a hair masque in my opinion but it's too oily to use as a conditioner. Also, it may be that your shampoo and conditioner are contributing to your scalp problem. Unfortunately, most shampoos these days are not true soaps but detergents. And we tend to over-wash as well.

I understand that neem oil comes from the fruit and seeds rather than the leaves. However, it might be worth trying an oil infusion with the leaves. If you try it out please let me know how you get on.

I don't know if it's "natural" or "organic" but I think it's pretty much natural – hyaluronic acid – we get ours from amazon, from a company called Watts or Waats, and it is awesome for eczema.

I got some relief with coconut butter, shea oil, etc. but they would always work at first and then stop working. So far the hyaluronic acid works great. I still get outbreaks but this stuff takes care of it pretty much immediately.

I understand that Hyaluronic Acid is used in quite a few over the counter beauty creams for eliminating wrinkles and fine lines and that it can also be effective in skin disorders like eczema. It's not clear to me whether there are any issues arising from its topical use but it does appear to be a natural component of the human body. Notice to Vegetarians/Vegans: Hyaluronic Acid can often be sourced from Rooster combs.

I found herbal or natural treatment appealing. It is surely a process though but its really effective in the long run. I've seen pictures of psoriasis from others and it is really bad that surely needs a medication.

Unrefined are generally better because it means that the oils will have more of their beneficial qualities intact. Some people prefer to use refined versions of some of the ingredients though because they're not keen on the natural scent.

I was asked to make a remedy for both eczema and psoriasis and am thankful to find your recipe. One person gets (I can't remember which condition) around his eyes, would this be safe to use around his eyes? Thank you!

Hi there. …I also have read that neem helps all manner of skin conditions. I have dishydrosis on my palms and fingers which causes them to get tiny water blisters all over which itch unbelievably, and following that, the skin will crack and peel and sometimes bleed. I haven't tried neem yet because I read that it is also used as a spermicidal and my husband and I are trying to conceive. Is that part of it true? The way i read it sounded like that only applied if taken internally. Would it be recommended to apply to my hands? ThanksAndrea

Hi Andrea, I too have read that Neem can be used as a spermicide but to use it in that way it's used internally. It shouldn't affect your chances of falling pregnant if you use it on your hands. Saying that, you probably should abstain from using Neem while you are pregnant.

Here's an excerpt from the Neem Foundation:

"Neem has been shown to be a powerful, relatively inexpensive birth control agent for both men and women. In the first century B.C., Charaka, the Indian physician, gave a detailed method for using neem for contraception. Cotton soaked in neem oil was kept in the vagina for fifteen minutes before intercourse. This killed the sperm.

In both India and the United States, trials show neem extract reduces fertility in male monkeys without in hiting libido or sperm production. Also, in other Indian studies, neem leaf tablets taken for one month produced reversible male infertility but did not affect sperm production or libido. This shows promise as the first male birth control pill."

I had dishydrosis years ago (also when I was in your age group) and tried EVERYTHING. I suffered for several years to the point I had to wash the blood from my keyboard daily. I was finally provided with a prescription for Lydex ointment which cleared it up in about 1 week. Ointment, not cream. It occasionally comes back but a single application seems to stop it immediately

Oh yes, it's well known for its insecticidal and fungicidal properties. It's safe for people though so you can use it on your skin for both reasons making it an excellent base for insect repellents and natural athlete's foot cream.

Im am going to try this, both skin disorders run in my family. Although every ones skin is different, if it doesn't work for my family i'll just pass it along to my friends. To some of the other people on here, my son was diagnosed with eczema and was a guinea pig for just about everything and nothing worked. Come to find out, he didn't have it, he was having a reaction to metals (mainly nickel), the spot he had the rash at the most was around his waist band, I started putting clear nail polish on the back side of his pants buttons and it cleared all up and no longer has problems with it… Just an FYI in case this could be your situation.

It's amazing how interconnected the body is – your son's type of eczema (Contact Dermatitis) can also erupt from other allergies such as gluten, lactose, or even contact with materials like detergents, cement, or perfumes.

I made this and within 4 days the eczema behind my ears and a spot near the outer corner of my eye was almost fully cleared up. I can't believe how well it works! I added the essential oils Lavender, Elemi and Frankincense too. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I can't wait to make the body butter next and maybe the lip balm!

When making beauty products and soap it's important to be accurate with your measurements – teaspoons and cups are not the best way to go about it.

Besides, who wants to waste time cramming solid oils into cups for measurement? It's far easier to place your bowl/pan on the scale and just spoon in the correct amount. If you're planning on making beauty products at home I'd really recommend you look into buying one. Just a quick look on Amazon shows them going for between $14-$25 though I'm sure there will be less expensive ones around if you keep an eye out.

Hello. I want to try this on my son. He has had eczema since he was a baby. I have made several lotions and none really seem to help. I have all these ingredience except the castor oil. Is there something I can replace it with? I have jojoba oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and avacado oil on hand. What are the benefits of castor oil in this recipe? Will it make a big difference if I leave it out?

Ideally you want to use Castor oil but you can replace it with another oil if you must – jojoba is probably the best choice from what you have. Castor oil is a thick, nourishing, oil that helps seal moisture into your skin and used on its own it can work wonders on eczema. The reason it's often blended with other oils is that it's a bit sticky to use on its own.

If I left out the Shea & Cocoa butters and just mixed the oils would it help my scalp Psoriasis? I'm currently mixing Tea Tree & Lavender in a base of Coconut & Olive oils. These help a bit, but the Neem oil sounds like I'd get better relief.

Hi, I don't have shea butter but I have kokum butter. Can I use that in it's place? I haven't used the kokum butter yet but it seems, from what I have read, it is generally used in place of cocoa butter and not shea. Everything else I have on hand!

I am Dianne. I have severe eczema on my fingers and would love to make this cream, the problem being I have never made anything home-made except food so I do not know where to get any of the ingredients (and you said they were inexpensive). So can you help me out as to where I can purchase all of the ingredients?? Thank you so much.

Would anyone be interested in making me some of the oil and I would pay you and you could send it to me…I really need it but I am disabled and can't make it…if interested PLEASE email me at mrs.white0719@yahoo.com and we can set it up…thank you!!!

You certainly can but make sure to blend it into the liquid oil really well – a mini whisk or milk frother will help. I'd also add another tablespoon of liquid oil to the recipe if you choose to use the powder.

My daughter had ecaema/psoriasis on her elbows, knees and shoulders. My brother owned a tanning salon and she tanned for 5 minutes every few days. The biggest thing for her was swimming in the local YMCA pool. The high chlorination, we think, helped it.

Tanya, first of all I want to thank you for posting this information online. I made this cream for my daughter, she's 2 1/2 years old. It has only been 3 days since I've started using the cream on her eczema and I can see the diffrence already. Growing up, I was exposed by my mom using natural remedy first when we were sick. I am an advocate of natural healing, I'll make sure to share this to everyone I know. Thanks again. Jen

Tanya, Hello thank you for posting this. I have psoriasis on my scalp and it is SUPER bothersome. Is there a way to make something like this but not in a cream form? Also could this be used on the scalp as a deep conditioner? Please contact me at KattsBug68@yahoo.com

Thank you so much for sharing this! I have been looking for something natural to help soothe my son's skin from eczema flare-ups, because anything prescription has steroids which have horrible side effects. This cream is amazing. I put it on him 2x a day and it keeps his skin soft and smooth as well as clears up any patches he may have while preventing new ones. He can sleep through the night without waking up itchy. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I came across this.Thank you!!!!

Hi I was wondering if there is another way to make this that does not include any nut derivative or grape. My son has extreme skin eczema and is allergic to both of those things which makes purchasing any of the neem premade products hard to find.thanks for any advice.tabitha

Following your recipe with small modification, I left it unscented, I made this cream and it turned out grate! My daughter has eczema on right hand and this cream really helps! I also use it occasionally and I am really satisfied how it softens my skin. I usually make anhydrous creams by adding beeswax, but your recipe is really grate, the cream has beautiful texture and it is easy for application. Thank you very much for sharing! Best regards, Gordana

What a great recipe! I adore neem oil despite the smell. Neem is awesome for doggies with skin problems. I have a bulldog with all sorts of skin problems, and neem has worked wonderfully for her. I love using neem mixed in with my normal moisturizing face oils when my skin is broken out!

Hemp works well for my 4 year old daughter's severe eczema. It is on her legs and feet mostly and remains very dry and scaly, despite frequent moisturizing. Her problem is that any liquid or cream that touches her scaly skin burns her and turns and inflamed red. She can't stop rubbing the affected area for over an hour after the application, or accidental rain shower.. even water burns. Does anyone else experience this? What will feel cool to her? I've used so many different products, but everything produces an inflamed burn. Suggestions?

my daughter used to be like this we couldn't even get her into the water for a bath without a war. it was so sad… do as i said below and use the baking soda bath it neutralizes the water. I use a moisturizing cream called Glaxal base and I add glycerin to the mixture to make it easier to apply… now she is awesome and within the 1st time using the baking soda in the bath she never freaked out about the water ever again… good luck to you.

Try bathing your kids in baking soda 1 cup per bath 2 x a day 8 minutes only then pat dry and apply cream (not lotion) and if you were perscribed it used the steroid cream only on the red spots, this works awesome for my daughter.

I have gotten all the ingredients needed to make this cream to try on my 8 year old granddaughter's eczema. But I have a question, I see most of the ingredients' measurements require less than an ounce or is measured in grams. How can I measure out these proportions if all I have is the dropper the Neem oil came with, a measuring cup or a medicinal measuring cup that measures in teaspoons? I really do want to make this in the correct proportions to help my little one before they leave on vacation in a few days and especially before school starts back on August 8th. Thanks for any help!!

you can buy pure neem oil in a spray applicator container at home depot, it is used to rid the lilly bettle on lillies, its has no other additives as per the label, just price check health food stores, pharmacies etc…

This sounds great I am going to try it out my daughter is 9 and has suffered her whole life with severe eczema, all over her body including her face. We have been to Sick kids in toronto and sick kids in london, they all recommend 3x baths a day then use steriod creams on the really red spots and then vaseline all over… it wasn't working it was blocking the skin from breathing….(just like everyone says). So we spoke with a lady when we were on vacation last summer and she said she used to have Eczema really bad also she uses a cup of baking soda in her bath 2 x a day and only uses the steriod cream when she really needs it and always moisturizes with a good cream (not a lotion as lotion is waterbased) so we went home and we have been doing this ever since… it has done wonders for my daughters skin she is a kid again and she is not embarassed to go in public anymore because of her skin. But this cream sounds interesting so I am going to make some Thanks for your help.

A friend suffers from psoriatical arthritis, I'm wondering if it may help him. He gets infusions every six weeks, but this may help on the surface. My brother and sister also have psoriasis, just not as severe. Thank you for the recipe and I will have to give it a try.

My name is Michele and I'm from Florida here in the USA– my sister came across your article since my hubby suffers from either psoriasis or eczima (the docs cant figure out which) on his arms and hands. I have been able to get everything but have to use gloves for the cocoa and shea butters since i am allergic. but this cream works wonderfully on him!!

Just a note– getting massive tattooing done on the arms can trigger these conditions if the conditions are dormant or the person is just a carrier– hubby's arms and hands where heavily tattooed with in 4 months — if you are thinking of getting a bunch of tattoos, please spread the timing out and let the skin heal completely (about 2 months) before continuing — his back doesn't suffer from this since it was worked on slowly.

thanks again for this recipe!!! now both of us are able to sleep better!!!

Thank you so much for sharing this! I'm not new to making my own creams/soaps/aso, but only knew about Neem as a fertilizer or an insecticide.I'm suffering from atopic eczema since childhood and tried a lot, but I've never experienced anything that soothed my cracked and dry skin so fast. Since I can't stand the smell of lavender, I used some Cajeput oil and a few drops of bergamotte oil. Again, thank you!All the best from Germany, Alex

Neem has many uses and it's true that it's commonly used in organic gardening.

Very pleased to hear that the cream worked for you and was interested to read of you using Cajeput oil. It will work well in reducing inflammation but I imagine the scent might cover the Neem smell as well.

Hi Tanya , My Niece suffers terribly from Psoriasis and Eczema , mostly on her elbows , knees , and her feet crack so badly she can hardly walk at times . She just had a baby about two months ago . At some point she will want another baby . Is Neem going to be safe for her to use ?

Hi Tanya, I'm looking on ebay and such to find some of that Neem oil. Could you send me a link or suggest what to look for? I don't want to buy the wrong one. Also, could you just apply the Neem oil to the affected areas? Or do you need all the ingredients in order for it to be successfull?Thanks!!

Hi,I finally made this yesterday for a friend who has problems with psoriasis. he tried the lotion while at work today, then called me to say that he cannot wait to go home and bathe (with my homemade neem soap :)) and put it on! LOL!!! He says his skin feels so nice and soft. So I guess I did it right. Thanks for this recipe!

I'm sure it will…I have bad eczema and after one application this mixture really did show great promise. I'm sure you will find it a big help in relieving if not curing a psoriasis flare up. I'm planning to make more for a co-working in your shoes…and will post updates in a few days on his reaction and relief.

I just found this site and recipe two night ago…rushed out to try making it and fell short w/ no luck finding Shea Butter. I was looking originally to use my Neem oil and stumbled on your site and recipe. I had to tweek it a bit to get it done…using only Coco Butter, Neem, Coconut oil, Clove Oil, not Tea tree, Lavender (40/42) and a thick hand lotion I was using to no avail alone. I mixed and came up w/ a nice way to down play the pungent Neem Oil and finally use that. Thanks a lot after less then 24 hours of mixing it together I see serious changes to my hands. No more cracks The real trick is the Neem Oil for sure…and after now four days of using only neem my hands are able to flex like normal and no cracks…Your cream will now help maintain an ezcema free, fully usable hands, and super soft. Big Thanks,Angie

Question about ingredient substitutions? I'm not even sure if this is still an active topic. I just happened to stumble across it. I apologize upfront, lol. I didn't scroll/read through ALL the comments/questions, there were just too many. I am sure you answered this question already, lol, I was just to lazy(yes I admit it, lol). Sorry! Can some of the butters be replaced with others? I make my own soap, so I have coconut oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, as a personal choice do not use Shea Butter. When my finances allow I am going to purchase Neem oil, and the cocoa butter. Any suggestions are so gratefully appreciated. Thank you!! Hope everyone has a great day

I have found that keeping a small jar of pure coconut oil in the bathroom is great for the skin around my eyes – but I also use it all over for my dry skin. I live in the high desert. I also suffer from psoriasis/eczema and have found that the other "beauty" products only irritate. Olive oil is a favorite for the summer months and it keeps my legs looking good.

My eczema is on my eyelids, and my 1 1/2 year old has a patch on on his nose right next to his eye. Would this recipe be safe to use on such a delicate area and children? Or would it need to be modified for a gentler cream?

I have a large patch of skin on my lower leg; it is the same skin condition that people with diabetes sometimes have. My dermatologist has told me that it's not bacterial or fungal; only inflammatory. I've had it for almost 7yrs and it gets larger each year. Diabetes runs high in my Dad's family but I don't have the disease. Any concerns about using this cream? The skin is very thin and tender to the touch. Your thought would be appreciated.

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Hi, thanks so much for this recipe, looks awesome. Definitely going to try it for my 1 year old son. One question… How long does it keep for if you make it in bulk? And could the shelf life be extended with a small amount of some type of preservative? I love natural, but also appreciate chemically stable!

I have neem infused olive oil… it's been infusing for a long time. Will I get the same effects? I use it as an ingredient in my mosquito repellent balm (which is the bomb…) but, it will not be as potent as cold pressed. Should I use more and lower the grams on the Apricot oil?

Did you all know that your neem is incredibly effective at killing and repelling bugs? It is far safer than commercial products if you are pregnant, and studies show it works as well OR BETTER than DEET based sprays. It is also more effective than even prescription lice treatments even on lice strains that are resistant to the prescription products. It keeps nits from hatching (so no real problems 2 weeks later!) and it makes the nits easier to get off. It somehow dissolves the glue holding nits to the hair. My tender headed dau used to sob as I tried to remove them the time I had to use commercial products. With neem she was laughing while I combed her hair out. All you need is about 5% neem in another oil or in conditioner and lice are gone. About a 1/2 tsp mixed with a tablespoon of shampoo even works as a repellant according to an entomologist I know. We used that once a week on my kids and haven't had a lice issue since, not even when 1/4 of the school was sent home with them. Plus 2 tsp neem to a cup of water is great for fleas, for ants and for every other bug I have tried it on. I add a few drops of citronella and lavendar essential oil for fragrance and it is an incredible bug repellent to use around the house.

Thank you so much for this. I have suffered from both psoriasis and excema for many, many years and have tried all the usual solutions and given up on them decades ago because they actually made the conditions worse. I am definitely going to try your cream. I already make a lotion bar with just shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax which soothes but does not clear,but am now keen to try neem oil. I also really like the idea of having control over the conditions myself. Thank you again, Kate

I made this today and the consistency is not creamy; it is more of a hardened wax that does soften with the heat of my fingers when I rubbed it. Is this correct, or is it supposed to be softer? More of the carrier oils perhaps? Will the consistency change any over the initial 24 hour period? I did put some on my left leg and not my right and so far my left leg is not itching, but my right one is! It's looking promising! Thanks! Natalie

Hi Natalie! the original recipe is quite hard, yes, but by adding more liquid oils such as the sweet almond oil you can get a softer consistency. There isn't any water in the cream so it will never feel quite like a lotion.

Thank you so much. I just made this today and can't wait to use it. I have psoriasis on my shin and just can't get rid of it. I used calendula infused grapeseed oil in it for extra healing since I had the infused oil already.

God bless you for sharing your recipe. As a soap maker, I have all these ingredients on hand and look forward to making this & giving it a test run for myself. I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, currently on methotrexate and floucinonide for the scales, yet they're not healing. I appreciate reading through your responses to others; you're a compassionate person!With gratitude,Amy

You're very welcome Amy and I hope the cream will help you with your condition. Please make sure to do a skin patch test first though, especially since you're on medication. Please let me know how you get on? Good luck and all the best

Amy, you may want to ask your doctor about Enbrel. Both my mother and I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and it works lovely for both. This cream is a huge hit for both of us too! I use mango butter instead of shea, and I add Tamanu and a couple of other essential oils too. Thank you for the recipe. My finicky adult son is now using it too. Thank you so much Tanya!

Thanks for this recipe, Tanya. I am on a quest to get my seven-year old off of steroids and petroleum-based creams. Can you recommend a substitute for the Shea butter. He is allergic to tree nuts so I avoid Shea. Many thanks! If this helps, I will post a link all over my Facebook eczema groups.

I love this recipe! I have a question though: is it possible to make this into a creme? My aunt has sporiasis and she prefers the feeling of a creme instead of oil. I have emulsifying wax; would this work? Im new to making creme's and not sure if the emulsifying wax would make the creme less effective. Or maybe lecithin? Thanks for sharing all you wonderful recipes!

I have eczema, and have used just the Shea butter and Cocoa butter combination (2:1 ratio). Neem oil is a good addition. I grew up in India and Neem trees were in our back yard. Its used in many Indian herbal remedies. One of the ways its used is, after child birth a mother is given a bath in Neem water.

Hi there. I made this recipe exactly and mine came out very greasy. What did I do wrong?? I put it in the fridge to (hopefully) firm it up. I will wait to see. I checked and re-checked the recipe and everything was followed to the exact measurement. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Hi, Tanya! Thank you for your recipe! I have a couple of questions. How often would you apply it for an adult with psoriasis on the feet and do you need to cover it after apllying? And is it safe to use for a 9 month old baby with eczema?Thank you so much!

The ingredients are indeed very helpfull to overcome psoriasis. Shea butter is famous for, and used a lot in hydration cremes. But i also prefer to use bee wax, a little bit of honey and some gember. Gember is very efficient against inflamation of the skin. Be carefull with neem.

Hi, I see that the recipe you provided here above does NOT Have the Bee Wax in it like the container you sell in your shop. I agree, the addition of bee wax would be great and help with the healing. Please let me know how much Bee Wax to add to the recipe here on this page.

Hi. My baby is almost 11 months old, has had ezcema since his first bad cold at 4 months old. Steroid creams literally tore his skin up, he looked like I dragged him across the floor and scrapes him up while in steroid cream. However, I switched to organic, unrefined coconut oil about 6 weeks ago and his skin is almost healed up. He is still swollen, red, patchy and itchy but way better. I want to try your recipe out but is it recommendable for such a young baby or is there anything else u could recommend. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Tanya from Lovely Greens

I'm Tanya and I'd like to welcome you to Lovely Greens! I believe in keeping life simple and that many things that you use in the home and garden can be DIY'd. From natural beauty products and pallet projects to beekeeping and edible gardening, I show you how you can do it too.